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Topic: 07.15.2127 - Auvyndyr Trial (Read 7636 times)

Shannon looked about the room for any evidence, no matter how unlikely to find it, of the angel. “It was too real to be a dream” she whispered. Every thread in her wanted to commit the ether real experience to ink. “No, this is all mine…not theirs. They can take a lot of things from me but they can’t take this.”. She spoke the determined words as though to convince herself to refrain from drawing the image. She made a silent vow to herself that one day, she would honor the angel with her skill…when her skill was actually worthy.

She wiped the morning residue from her eyes and stretched. She scratched her blonde head and decided that she would use the trappings that surrounded her. Walking as quietly as she could, she made her way to the marbled shower and bathed.

She took particular note of the scented soaps and washing cloths that adorned the shower room. She sniffed one of the bars and it smelled liked spiced pears. With a sqeaky, “Hmm..” she decided that she would use that one. The wall of the shower had knobs and buttons on it and she was confused as to just how they worked. Her head bobbed back and forth looking for any sign of which did what. Frustrated, she turned one of the knobs. Water, the temperature of the coldest winter ice, rained down on her. With an unyielding shriek she jumped out of the stall. She reached in for the other knob while trying to keep her head back to avoid the chill, her eye shut and an uncomfortable twist to her mouth. Finally she turned the other knob and warm water chased away the cold water. She adjusted the water to her liking and set forth to washing away the last few days of dirt.

She dried herself off and got her clothes. Her hair dripped down and she could tell that there were some knots. With a sigh, she retrieved the brushes and combs from the bureau. Again, her eyes were drawn to the fine artwork in the room. ‘I wonder if the craftsmen that made these did it out of want or if they were made to do it’, she thought. Either way, they still possessed a beauty that would be hard to rival.

Shannon brushed her hair at the vanity and tried to imagine what the next few days would bring. The judge said she would be taken to the orphanage today and she was scared about going there. She wanted to see her parents to tell them how sorry she was for getting them into this mess. If she could, in any way, fix it she would.

Satisfied that her hair was tamed, Shannon went to the window and looked out over the city. Common noises echoed up to her and she suddenly understood how the churches physical station would cause the priests to really believe that they were higher than everyone else.

The city was built in a bowl-shaped valley, rising gradually from the Church constructed at it very center. From everywhere in the city, the citizens who looked very small from Shannon's window, could see the towering structure she stood in.

Off in the distance, she could see the flat roof tops of ShantyTown, she slowly scanned Northwest of them to Nottingham Hall and the brand new shops next to it.

The memory of just a month ago came back to her in vivid detail, her parents walking her amongst those shops in the Theater District. Her Daddy had saved all winter to buy her some pens and inks in a fancy art shop. She had refused, knowing her parents couldn't afford such lavish a gift, but her father insisted, giving her a huge embrace for her selflessness.

She thought she would cry again, but just then, the very warm sun emerged from beneath a cloud and warmed her with an embrace equal to her father's.

'I must be strong for them,'[/i] she thought.

Shannon wasn't sure how long she stayed at the window, but it felt like some time before she heard a knock on her door.

At first she was confused on what she was supposed to do. This wasn't her room after all. But then she said, "Come in?"

A girl in a servants outfit came in, the symbol of Kaine was embroidered in her smock. She had green eyes and very pretty, and very long blonde hair, but more importantly, she had a tray that appeared to be breakfast!

As Shannon watched the girl walk over to the dining table and place the tray gently down, she slowly stepped away from the sunlit window, mesmerized by the thought of breakfast. It felt like months since her last meal.

The girl lifted the large silver bowl off the top of the tray and sure enough, there was a feast fit for a Councilman!

"Hello Miss. My name is Kristen, and should you need anything further I will be back in about 10 turns." Kristen gave her a big smile. "I see you have found the shower, aren't the fancy soaps wonderful?!"

“Wait!” Shannon exclaimed. She didn’t know why she said that. As soon as she did she didn’t know what else to say. Perhaps she just wanted company or maybe she just wanted to see someone her own age. Most of all she didn’t want to be alone.

The smell of the food made her belly rumble ferociously. And she desperately wanted to shovel it down. Her request was still hanging in the air, however, and she needed to recover from her outburst.

“Um…the soaps are great…thank you.” She stammered with an uneasy smile. Her eyes darted back and forth eying the food, artwork, and Kristen. “My…my name is Shannon.” She reached out her hand to Kristen in greetings. First meetings were always clumsy for Shannon and more so even now. “You can stay here if you want to. There’s plenty of food.” Shannon’s voice grew dim and she said with dismal realization, “but…you… probably have work to do , huh?” Shannon bit her lip as her hope of company seemed as though it would end before it began.

Kristen looked at her and there was a sudden compassionate sadness in her eyes that Shannon had not expected to see.

"I do indeed have work to do Miss Shannon, but please enjoy your breakfast, they don't have quite the fare at the orpha...." she stopped and quickly walked to the door. Shannon was caught off guard and she could feel a lump gathering in her throat at the sad thought of where she was going today.

Kristen paused at the door, one hand on the knob and the other resting on its ancient pine surface. She decided on something and turned back to her.

"Miss Auvryndyr," Kristen whispered her last name as she continued to stare at the door. "What ever happens today, know that you will have friends who care about you when it's all over."

Kristen turned her gaze back to Shannon who was surprised to see tears welling up in the blonde girls eyes.

"But how do you..."Shannon started, but Kristen held her hand up to stop her.

"I can't say any more Shannon, it's too dangerous here," she said, then just as a tear escaped and ran down her cheek she left the room. The lock in the door pushing the bolt back in place.

OOC: Just an out of game and kind of unrelated note here. Remember that all children in the Kingdom go to the same school in the capital city. So it isn't as if Shannon doesn't have friends in her current chosen House at this time.

However...and if I remember my setup correctly, Houses are chosen when students enter the school year when they will be Age 10. So being now 10, and in mid-summer, it will be dependant on your birthdate on whether you were inducted into a house during the last school year, or this upcoming one.

Either way, if you were in "elementary school (age 5 to 9)" last year, you might still have friends in the school.

Shannon looked at her food and suddenly wasn’t so hungry. The meeting with Kristen left her with more confusion of mysteries that she didn’t understand. “Art imitates life.” she said to herself. “It is a lie used to tell the truth”. Everything around her seemed wonderfully artistic and she wondered what truth was crying out to be known. “Someday I will figure it all out.” She said aloud and sat down to eat her scrumptious breakfast.

Every last crumb and drop (ooc: that would make a great name for an inn or tavern…The Last Crumb and Drop) was gone and Shannon could feel the bloating of her belly. She rested back in her chair and let out a deep breath and a whispered hum. Before she even knew what was happening she let out a monstrous burp that echoed through the luxurious suite. Her hands clasped over her mouth and it was all she could do to hold back her laughter!

She knew her father would congratulate her on her fine performance while her mother would roll her eyes and warn her about her manners. She bobbed her head from side to side as though she was in a room full of people and said with a little dainty voice, “’scuse me”.

(OOC: Per your note above, Shannon will have been inducted last year in the Art House and will be starting her second)

As promised, Kristen did indeed return. She entered the room in a bit of a hurry and began to collect Shannon's empty plates. Shannon noticed that the tears were now gone from her, but the girl didn't look up at her either. She seemed flustered and intent on her work.

“Oh…” Shannon peeped with enthusiasm as Kristen entered the door, “…Just as you said, you…returned? Is something wrong, Kristen?” Compared to only a short while ago Kristen seemed a bit frenetic. Shannon hoped that she wasn’t in trouble by speaking with a prisoner.

Shannon gently approached Kristen and bent to look at her face. “Is everything okay? Are you in trouble?” she asked. The concern for her fate melted to the heat of the moment and Shannon thoughts of what might be wrong made her fingers twitch with panic.

By the time Shannon had approached her at the table, Kristen had all the things back on the plate and had returned the large silver bowl cover. She hesitated before she left with it however, and even with the face of the other blonde girl very close to hers, she still didn't look at her.

She then suddenly whispered, "I was only supposed to come here and identify you."

She then finally did look at her, and although Shannon found the girl to be a little more confident now, she still seemed anxious.

"Promise me that if I tell you something, that you will not repeat what I say to anyone," Kristen whispered a plea.

Shannon instantly recoiled away from Kristen. She had no way of knowing if this was another trick to undermine her and her parents. Her good faith in people had been returned with deception and this girl, whom she just met, could well be a part of that web of lies.

On the other hand, Kristen could also be enslaved here. She was, after all, collecting dishes; certainly not a task that would be assigned to an acolyte priest. Shannon wanted to believe her sincerity, if only to have a friend in enemy territory.

With mixed feelings and against her better judgment she whispered to the flustered servant girl, “I won’t tell anyone…I swear on my parents gra…I swear by my parents souls.” Shannon didn’t want to even begin to think of her parents’ grave and dismissed that thought as it entered her head.

Kristen reached out and gently took the top of Shannon’s hand, she held it with a compassionate squeeze and said, “They won’t sentence your parents to death, they wouldn’t dare. You’re father is too decorated an officer in the Outer-Rim Defense.”

With a sigh and a nod Shannon tried to let the stranger’s words sink in.

Kristen then unexpectedly drew her in and embraced her...so she could whisper in her ear. “When this is all over, when you are taken to the orphanage after the trial, you will be contacted by friends of mine who want to help you.”

She then drew away but held her hand fast.

“Just remember that okay?” she said, keeping her voice very low. “And again, don’t tell anyone what I have said, just keep the knowledge of this close to your heart, it‘s to give you strength through the trial to come.”

Shannon tried to feel the hope that Kristen offered her. Despite the reassurances of having friends, she felt completely alone. It wasn't her future friends that would sit with her at the trial. It wasn't her future friends that would witness her parents in chains. It wasn't her future friends that were bleeding with the sorrow of the moment. Future friends didn't do her any good right now.

She was grateful for Kristen’s compassion as it was the best part of the morning. At the very least she had a friend who somehow understood.

Shannon went over to the picture she drew and took a final glance at it to seal its completion. To her it was perfect. She searched the drawers for any letter ribbon and found one of laced gold silk. Tenderly, she rolled the drawing up and tied an elegant bow around it.

She walked to the balcony overlooking the city and pulled the tied drawing close to her chest. "Dad" she said with a tight throat "There is nothing to forgive. Someday I will be as brave as you". As she stood in the sun and watched a flock of birds fly by she thought a moment. "Mom...as you do, I will stay true to myself....I promise you...with all my heart".

Bolstered by her vows, Shannon sat down on the balcony chair and, in waiting for the day to begin, she actually felt hope.

OOC: Ah...the next phase. Shannon has no further wishes. Except to maybe to free one of the tapestries. Do your worst good sir...

For a hand, Shannon sat on the balcony soaking in the sun while thinking about where her young life would turn next. Too soon, there was yet another knock at the door, it sounded as if a gauntleted hand made it, and Shannon braced herself even as she granted entry, "come in."

Judge Nathaniel Criss walked in, flanked by a pair of guards dressed in similar fashion to the one who led her to her very room last night. Nate however, looked very much different from his previous prisoner facade.

He too now wore the same masterful suit of black plate mail, but instead of platinum edging as on the others, his was edged with gold. A pair of gold-metallic wings opened above each forearm and his full plate helm was even bigger than the other two guards, with long metallic horns with sharpened gold tips.

Luckily he held the helmet in his left hand, or she wouldn't even have recognized him. His face was now clean-shaven and his long hair combed and straightened. She would have found him quite handsome if she didn't have an incredible urge to kick him in the shin.

Shannon just watched the men file in while standing on the balcony, she realized that she hadn't dressed into any day clothes yet.

"Well, Miss Shannon, I hope you found your stay in the quest quarters of the Church at least acceptable?"

(OOC: "Do my worst?" Ok. "The Judge THREW Shannon off the balcony and she plummeted to her death." SPAH-LAT! hehe)